B777-700 crew burned center tank fuel below 1000 pounds.

Attributes
ACN	576249
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : stl.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 265 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	576249
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : center tank fuel quantity other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Failure to comply with airworthiness directive 2002-19-52 for -700. We were climbing out from stl to FL390, on takeoff. We had about 2700 pounds of fuel in the center tank of our -700. Passing about 7000 ft and established on the airway, I turned on the center tank boost pumps. I got into a discussion with the first officer about our right air conditioning pack and how to make it work better. The distraction of the discussion, and the air conditioning pack, caused me to allow the fuel in the center tank to go well below the 1000 pounds required by airworthiness directive 2002-19-52 with the center tank pumps running before I was able to turn the center pumps off. It seems very easy to get distraction during this procedure. I will use greater vigilance in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777-700 CREW BURNED CTR TANK FUEL BELOW 1000 LBS.

Narrative: FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 2002-19-52 FOR -700. WE WERE CLBING OUT FROM STL TO FL390, ON TKOF. WE HAD ABOUT 2700 LBS OF FUEL IN THE CTR TANK OF OUR -700. PASSING ABOUT 7000 FT AND ESTABLISHED ON THE AIRWAY, I TURNED ON THE CTR TANK BOOST PUMPS. I GOT INTO A DISCUSSION WITH THE FO ABOUT OUR R AIR CONDITIONING PACK AND HOW TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER. THE DISTR OF THE DISCUSSION, AND THE AIR CONDITIONING PACK, CAUSED ME TO ALLOW THE FUEL IN THE CTR TANK TO GO WELL BELOW THE 1000 LBS REQUIRED BY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE 2002-19-52 WITH THE CTR TANK PUMPS RUNNING BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CTR PUMPS OFF. IT SEEMS VERY EASY TO GET DISTR DURING THIS PROC. I WILL USE GREATER VIGILANCE IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.